Washboard.



' No. 705,284. Patented July 22, |902.

a. w. Newsom.

' wAsnBoAnn.

(Application led Feb. 15, 1902.)

(N0 Model.)

UNITED v'STATES PATENT EEICE.

GEORGE VASHINGTON NEWSOM, OF SACHSE, TEXAS.

WASH BOARD.V

sPEeIErcATIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 705,284, dated July 22, 1902. Appimuon1edrebrary 15,1902. serrano. 94,269. (Numdam To all wiz/0m t 'may concern: l Be it knownthat I, GEORG-E WASHINGTON NEWSOM, a citizenof the United States, residing at Sachse, in theV county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented a new and use? ful VVashboard, of which the followingv is a specification.

The invention relates Washboards. v

The object of the present inventionis to improve the construction of washboards and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient construction adapted to afford a rubbing-surface at each face of the washboard to enable the latter to be reversed. L

A further object of the invention is to provide a double washboard of this character which will permit Water to drain thoroughly from its rubbing-surface during and after the operation of Washing and which willeXpose the parts of the rubbing-surface, so that the same will thoroughly dry.

A further object of the invention is to provide a Washboard having a yielding rubbingsurface in which the strain willlbe distributed over a considerable number of coils of springs and in which the latter will be held against rotary movement and will have their ends housed, so' that there will belno liability of v the end of a spring becoming accidentally' exposed and liable to tear clothes or other fabrics.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a Washboard constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same.-I Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view. Fig. e is a'detail.v'rieiinwr on an enlarged scale, illustrating the arrange ment of the coils of the springs and the manner in which each of the coils of one spring is interposed between and contacts with the contiguous upper and lower coils of the adjacent springs to form a continuous resilient rubbing -surface'of mutually coacting and Supporting coils.

Like numerals of reference designate correto improvements iii .washboard, as hereinafterv explained. `polygonal supporting bars receive coiled *springs l2, andthe coilsof the latterare suppo'rted bythe corners ofthe bars', -asfclearly gillustrated in'Fig.l 3 yof .the accompanying drawings. vving bars4 are spaced from, each other by the 'coils of the vsprings andare'located midway spending p'artsin all the figures of the drawings.

l designates the frame of a washboard, composed of side barsQ and transverse connect- 'ing-bars 3 and 4, located between the ends of ranged between thefaces or edges of the side ba'rs-orpiece's and forming soap-receptacles 7 and'S. The .divisonbo'ard which forms jthe soap-receptacles 'isrecessed or cut away .The opposediedgesof the upper and lower transversev connectingfbars 3 and 4 are pro- 'videdwithgrooves-tor recesses 9 and 10 for and which are snugly fitted in the grooves or recesses, being Iretained therein when the part'sare assembled and being readily assembled during the manufacture of the washboard, as they do not require fastening de# vices,an`d arepermitteda limited movement in the'grooves or recesses transversely of the The Thelngitudinal spr-ing-supportbetween the side faces of the transverse con- Also coilsand the faces of the bars l1 form Ways to permit Water to drain readily from the Asprings and to flow freely from the top'to the bottom of the rubbing-surfaces.

i The ends of the coiledsprings are housed in the grooves or recessesv "of Y.the upper and lower transverse connecting-bars, and the said ends 13 abut against the walls of the grooves or recesses, as clearly illustrated in the accolnpanyingdrawings, and thereby lock the springs against rotation, whereby the ends of the springs are eectually prevented from becoming accidentally exposed, so that there will be no liability ot the clothes being accidentally torn on the ends of the springs.

The coils of one spring are arranged between the coils of the adjacent spring or springs, and the strain incident to the rubbing action is distributed over a considerable portion of the rubbing-surface and is sustained by a number of the springs, so that there is no liability of any one of the springs being subjected to a severe strain and the strain cannot be concentrated on a single spring. Also the transverse grooves or recesses permit the angular spring-supporting bars to have a limited play transversely of the washboard to permit the coils of the springs to expand and contract when subjected to the pressure of the clothes or other fabrics, and the coils yieldiugly space the springsupporting bars. When the coils of one spring are moved longitudinally of the supporting-bars, they will engage the coils ofthe adjacent springs, and the latter will coperate with the first spring in resisting any force tending to fiex or displace the coils. As soon as the pressure is removed the coils will immediately resume their normal position, and it will be apparent that when the pressure is applied to the center of the board the overlapping coils will distribute the same to the outer side coils and that by arranging the springs in this manner a rubbing-surface of the desired stiffness may be readily obtained, and comparatively light springs may be advantageously employed in the construction of rubbing-surfaces.

lt will be seen that the Washboard is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction, that it possesses great strength and durability, and that the springs and the supporting-bars form double rubbing-surfaces to provide a double or reversible washboard. It will also be apparent that both the springs and the angular spring-supporting bars are adapted to yield to provide resilient rubbingsurfaces and that the said angular oi polygonal supporting-bars may be readily changed to bring their side faces to the front and back when the frame of the Washboard is partially separated. Also it will be clear that the coils are supported by the corners of the bars and that the intermediate portions of the coils form bowed resilient portions which are adapted to yield and spring during the operation of Washing.

What I claim isl. A Washboard comprising a frame, longitudinal supporting-bars angular in cross-section arranged Within the frame, and coiled springs arranged on and supported by the said bars and provided with projecting portions, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A washboard comprising a frame, longitudinal supporting-bars angular in cross-Section slidably mounted Within the frame and capable of a limited movement transversely ofthe Washboard, and coiled springs arranged on the supporting-bars and having projecting portions forming rubbing-surfaces, and spacing the supporting-bars, substantially as described.

3. A washboard comprising a frame provided with upper and lower bars having grooves, polygonal supporting-bars having their ends fitted in the grooves, and coiled springs disposed on the supporting-bars and having their terminals extended into the said grooves and abutting against the Walls thereof, whereby the springs are held against ro tary movement to prevent their ends from being exposed, substantially as described.

1. A washboard comprising a frame provided With upper and lower bars having grooves, polygonal supporting-bars having their ends itted in the grooves and capable of a limited movement transversely ot the washboard, and coiled springs disposed on the supporting-bars and having projecting por tions forming rubbing-surfaces at both faces of the Washboard and yieldably spacing the supporting-bars, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE WASHINGTON NEWSOM.

Witnesses:

D. C. SAoHsE, T. J. SWIM. 

